Topic 5: Lessons learnt - future practice

My memes for Topic 5!

The time has come for a final reflection regarding the past twelve weeks of the Open Networked Learning (ONL) 201 course. Reading the final blog reflections of my co-students in this course, the word “journey” frequently appears in many blogs and I agree, it is a suitable metaphor for these past twelve weeks of learning and collaboration. It has been a great experience, especially having the chance to be a student again and recall how it can in the beginning of a new course.

Looking back on the course, there are some aspects that stood out and that made an impression on my learning. I particularly remember the topic about sharing and openness. How the readings, conversations with colleagues and the learning activities suddenly gave clear descriptions on the underlying philosophical notions regarding openness and sharing. Notions that I felt harmonized with my own ideas, but that I previously did not know how to explain. During that topic I had an “aha-experience”, an experience of having things falling into place. I believe I know have found the fundamentals for arguing for a more open climate (when needed), with sharing and openness in teaching and research.

During the ONL I have had the opportunity to work in a Problem Based Learning (PBL) group and to use a simple model of PBL in the group work and learning activities. In one of my previous University employments, I have worked with a more comprehensive PBL model in campus based PBL groups. I am happy to know that PBL can work in online learning environments as well, something I am sure also the colleagues at my former workplace have learnt during these strange pandemic times, where campus based activities and pedagogical models have quickly moved into online alternatives. I now feel more confident with my prior efforts in creating elements of PBL in the online activities of the Specialized nursing programme in psychiatric care. I believe this is an area for more development in my future practice in the programme.

Overall, the ONL really stimulated the creative parts of my personality. When I have the opportunity to be creative and try new digital tools, alone and together with co-students, the learning becomes easy and fun, even if it is sometimes a rather steep learning curve. I was very fortunate to have members in my study group who also favored the creative elements of this course. We had really fun trying different digital tools, like creating the meme in the final course week. I see memes daily in social media and through the social media elements that my children use. Yet, never before have I actually tried to create a meme myself. It was easy and fun! I can see a lot of potential for using memes in my teaching, like using it for initial group activities when students familiarize with each other and the course.
Good-bye for now! Hope to see you again in a follow-up course!